Back to the Legion
by The True Girl Wonder
Summary: After the Legion, 16 year old Brainy tries to hide his past and start over as much as he can. But what will happen when he's found by the science police and sent back to the Legion? Especially with the return of Drax? Will he be able to make sense of all the emotions still flooding through him without control, or will he be lost inside himself? Brainy/Drax; some content may change
1. Catching up

It had been a year since Brainac 5 left the Legion to sort out his new feelings. A lot of changes had happened around him, most of them good for the most part. Colu was becoming a planet of living beings in order to prevent the "Brainiac virus" ,as they called it, from happening ever again. This, coincidentally, lowered an suspicion when Brainy got a roommate under the name Querl Dox. Nobody knew his real name, and all he had to do was hide the insignia on his forehead in order to keep his secret. It was a feat easily done with a baseball cap.


	2. Caught

Querl sighed as he woke up, sitting up in bed. He didn't have much laying around his room, mostly because he didn't have much period. He swung his feet out of bed and walked out the room to try and get to the kitchen ahead of his roommate, Aviv. He didn't think it was very fair for Aviv to have to cook considering he was the only one with a job. It's not that Querl didn't try to find one, it was just that he couldn't.

"I am willing to cook, y'know," Querl sighed as he saw Aviv at the stove.

"Yes, but I would like to be able to actually eat instead of have the house smell of burnt eggs all day and have a pan full of rocks," the red-head teased, spooning out the eggs onto a pair of plates. "And yes, I'm aware that you can get your own food, but I'm paranoid and deal with it" he said before the Coluan could get a single word out. He sighed, grabbing the plates to take over to the table before Aviv could.

"I'm still not letting you do everything." Aviv just chuckled, sitting down while Querl grabbed forks and napkins to finish setting the table.

"So you wanna talk about your nightmare this time or are you still gonna keep it a secret from me?" Aviv said as Querl sat down after giving the other his fork and napkin.

"It was nothing," Brainy lied, pushing his eggs around his plate. The memories of what Brainiac 1.0 made him do still haunted him. He wanted to tell Aviv, but he was afraid that if he did the other would know who he really was and kick him out. Or worse, turn him in to the science police for crimes that weren't really his fault. He was being controlled, but there's no way that he could prove it.

"C'mon Querl, it could-"

"It could help stop the nightmares from recurring if we knew the underlying meaning. Yes, yes, I know you've told me several times before Aviv. Like I said, though, it's probably just my brain chemistry trying to sort out emotions, there's no real meaning under that other than an already-known fact: I was a robot that didn't have any real feelings most of my life." Aviv sighed, getting up as there was a pounding on the door.

"Coming!" He called, Querl starting to clear the table of the dishes of their finished breakfast. He was surprised to find a pair of police officers behind it, "Can I...help you officers...?" He was confused about why they were there.

"I'm officer Tazer, and this is my partner Yek. We're looking for a certain Coluan, we heard that one lives here," the officer said, quickly stiffening a bit when it hit him how racist that sounded. "Not to be rude or racist or anything, but we're just...following orders...to try to find him..."

"Okay...uh, yeah, Querl's Coluan. Though, I highly doubt he's one to commit any kind of crime. Sprok, he tries to keep me from doing housework between looking for jobs since I'm the only one with one right now. C'mon in, though, he's probably getting changed right now." Aviv said, letting the officers in and heading over to Querl's room as they sat down. "Hey, Querl, there's some guys here that want to talk to you for a sec"

"Who," Querl asked confused, getting some clean clothes from his closet.

"Science police, they're just trying to narrow down a suspect pool and have orders to follow. It'll only take, like, five minutes probably." Querl's breath caught in his throat, glad Aviv was on the other side of the door so he couldn't see the Coluan pale a bit. He gulped silently, saying he'd be out in a minute and changing, making extra sure his bangs covered his insignia and putting on his cap before leaving the room. The officer that saw him first, Tazer, didn't hesitate to speak up when he saw him.

"What's with the cap inside, kid?"

"I was gonna run to the store and didn't want to forget it. Eyes are still a bit sensitive to light..." he said with a shrug.

"Didn't you just do the shopping two days ago?" Aviv said confused.

"The...sour cream smells funny, must've been rotated wrong or just y'know, forgotten when they were rotating the stock." Aviv still looked confused, but excepted the answer with a shrug.

"Well you're inside right now, so, mind taking the cap off?" Officer Tazer said, Yek getting up in case the teen tried to run. Querl took his cap off like he was asked, being careful to not let his bangs move when he did so. Tazer went over to him, reaching forward to move his bangs to the side to check for his Brainiac insignia. Querl backed up quickly, smacking the man's hand away.

"What do you think you're doing?" he snapped, putting his hat back on.

"Just need to look at your forehead for a second, calm down," Tazer said, calling out after Querl when he bolted for the door, managing to catch Yek off-guard and slip out the door. The officers chased him, catching him before long.

"Hey, wait, just let me explain for a sec," Querl said, wincing when Yek grabbed and pulled on his arms a bit too roughly, "I just didn't want Aviv to find out just to watch me get dragged away in a pair of cuffs, I know you're looking for me but I wanted Aviv to find out by me talking to him..."

"Then why didn't you just say anything in the apartment?" Yek snapped, Tazer making him let Querl go before he hurt the kid too much.

"...Because I'm scared to tell him...He's been patient with me and everything and...I'm afraid that if I tell him...he'll suddenly act like I'm gonna kill him in his sleep and kick me out or turn me in. I didn't do the crimes...of my own will. I was being controlled by Brainiac 1.0, I'm just, I'm still trying to find a way that I can prove it," he explained, talking a bit faster for the last part but not trying to run again when he was let go.

"We still need to check to make sure you're not just covering for the real Brainiac 5" Tazer said, reaching to take the hat off and do so. He stopped when Querl grabbed the bill of the hat.

"I wasn't lying when I said my eyes were still sensitive, any chance that check can wait until after we get to the station?" he asked, Tazer nodding, and taking Querl to the cruiser, staying between him and Yek.

* * *

A/N: The story begins! First time trying a story with this kind of a start to it, let me know what you think. Also going to try to do it all in third-person which I've never done well before but practice makes perfect, right?


	3. Age discovery

Brainy sighed as he sat slumped in the back of the cruiser. His arms were crossed as he listened to the two officers argue back and forth.

"We have procedures Tazer, he needs to at least be cuffed! You're complete ignoring the rules of this job!" Yek snapped at the other officer from the passenger seat.

"He's not doing any harm, and the only reason he ran was so that his roommate didn't find out his secret on sour terms," Tazer replied calmly, not even turning his eyes away from where he was driving. It wasn't long until they pulled up to the station, and Tazer made sure he got Querl out of the car before Yek could. He walked Querl into one of the interrogation rooms and had him sit down as he closed the door behind them. "Dim enough for you to let me see your forehead now?" he said as he walked over to the table and leaned back on it's edge. Querl took off his cap but was nervous about moving his bangs. He flinched when Tazer's hand went toward him but let him move his bangs aside. Tazer didn't say anything as he moved the boy's bangs back and left the room to get something. He returned within a couple of minutes with a thick file and two bottles of water. He gave one to Querl and the other to the side for himself as he opened the file.

"I didn't commit those crimes. I mean-in a way, I guess I did, but I didn't..." Querl tried to explain, Tazer raising a brow at the other. "It's complicated."

"I know, we're not here about those, any charges related to the "Brainiac Incident" or "Brainiac Virus" which ever you prefer to call it" He said, looking for a certain page in the file.

"Virus? Only the Coluan Council called it the a virus..."

"I know, they're the ones that told us about Brainiac 1.0's programming possessing you like it did. That's why the charges are dropped" Tazer said calmly.

"Wait, if the charges are dropped then why am I here. Those are the only crimes that were committed that could be even closely blamed on me," Querl asked, confused as to why the police wanted him if it wasn't for the Brainiac Incident. Tazer slid a piece of paper across the table from the file.

"Does your roommate know how old you really are, Querl?" Tazer asked, looking the other in the eyes and lacing his fingers together as he waited for an answer.

"No...I told Aviv that I was 19..." he sighed, looking at the highlighted section of the paper.

 _"_ _So you claim that all charges of Brainiac's attack should be dropped from, what did you say his actual name was, Querl Dox?_

 ** _Yes. It would be unjust to allow a 16 year old boy be sent to_** **_Takron-Galtos. Especially when he has little to no experience with his emotions which could get him in an even worse situation than just being in the prison._**

 _Did you just say that Brainiac 5 is 16?_

 _ **Affirmative. Is there an issue with him being such an age?**_

 _Yes, and it's the fact that he's out there with no legal guardian. Though, I assure you that all charges of the Brainiac Incident-Virus will be expunged, though we will keep them in his paper record in case anyone tries to make charges against him for it"_

"So," Tazer said, sliding the paper away from Querl and tucking it back where it belonged in the file before closing it, "do you have anyone to contact that could take the place of legal guardianship? The only alternative is foster care."

"Yes. I have someone I can call."


	4. The return

It took about an hour and a half after before Tazer with returned Imra clad in a pink t-shirt and blue jeans with a white wrap that came down just below her shoulders instead of her legion uniform. She went into the interrogation room ahead of the officer.

"Brainy!" she cried out with a smile as she wrapped him in a hug, "It's so good to see you, where have you been?"

"I found a roommate, was still working on the job part, but did have a roof over my head," he said with a tad bit of awkwardness.

"Why have you been in here," she turned to Officer Tazer, "don't you guys have regular waiting rooms?"

"We do, but Querl and I thought it'd be best if he stayed in here. We know he's no threat but there's still prejudice against him. Sadly, my partner is one of those people..." he explained, leading the two out and giving Imra a folder. "Someone needs to fill these papers out, it's just stuff we have to have to be able to you as his legal guardian."

"Of course, I'll stop by tomorrow with it filled out," she replied, taking the folder and leading Querl out to the hovercar she had drove there. They got in and drove off, Querl leaning back in the seat and staring out the window.

"So...you didn't say anything before leaving..." Imra said after a while of awkward silence.

"What was there to say? I destroyed the universe, I wasn't a hero. The Legion Tower is a super _hero_ headquarters." Querl said with a shrug, "besides, I was emotional as a robot and now I have real emotions, I needed time to sort them out..."

"Brainy-"

"My name is Querl, Imra, you know that." he interrupted. Imra carefully pulled over, Querl hesitantly looking over to see if Imra would tell him why. She reached forward and wiped his cheek a bit, and so he touched the opposite cheek and looked at a small shine now on his fingers. He looked away quickly, trying to make himself stop crying and figure out when he even started to. Imra unbuckled herself, scooting a bit closer and wrapping her arms around Querl.

"It doesn't matter what people say, Brainy, you didn't do all of that. It even got wiped off of your record. It was Brainiac 1.0, and you are not him. You're nothing like him," she said softly as she pet his hair a bit. Querl bit his lip as he tried to hold it in and sniffled as Imra let go and got out of the hovercar. She walked around to his side and opened the door. She wiped his cheeks and pulled him into her shoulder as she rubbed his back a bit, and Querl was quickly losing control on his emotions.

After a few hours from Querl getting his emotions under control and stopping a few places for Querl to get a few things that he needed. He walked in, a strawberry milkshake in hand as he's tackled in a giant hug by Triplicate Girl, Phantom Girl, and Shrinking violet. When they let go it revealed that he had gotten the shake on his shirt, which wasn't really much of a question before because his front was cold, and headed over to a bathroom and change. Orange Trip offered to throw away the slightly cracked Styrofoam cup thinking it was empty just to have him suck up a bit more shake in answer. The trio in one laughed a bit at his form of answering as the girls let him leave to change.

"So, how's he doing?" Garth asked as he walked up behind Imra.

"He's trying to deal with things as if nothing has changed biologically," she sighed, leaning into his embrace a bit.

"How do you think He'll react to having to go to school?"

"He never liked that sort of thing as a robot 'without emotions'," she said using air quotes, "I can already tell he's gonna try everything he can to get out of it."

"I'll make chocolate covered strawberries" Timber Wolf said, heading toward the kitchen. Imra and Garth walked toward the lounge and talked.

"I vote we make Cos tell him" Garth chuckled, jumping when he heard Querl's suddenly sound from behind them.

"What is Cos telling who?" Querl asked curiously, his shake in his left hand with his soiled shirt in his right.

"We'll talk about it later," Imra said quickly, "Let's go get you settled back in for now" Querl looked confused as she lead him down the hall to a vacant living quarters and changed the subject, but he didn't say anything as most members excitedly welcomed him back.


	5. School and Drax

The day went on excitedly and by the time diner rolled around all the close yells and squeals welcoming him back had given Querl a near migraine. So, Brainy just had dinner in his own room with Imra so she could make sure he actually ate rather than throw away the food and say he had.

"So...any idea what Cos was wanting to talk about later?" He asked Imra who shrugged in favor of talking around the food in her mouth.

"I don't know," she lied, "so what have you been up to since you left?"

"Well I got a roommate, explaining this situation will be...interesting..."

"Just the Brainiac part or age too?" she already knew the answer, though. She had read the report that the police gave her in the folder.

"Both, nobody's gonna rent to a sixteen year old who doesn't have proof of emancipation from any kind of legal guardian. Even if I could find fakes of the documents it would've been hard, let alone if he knew who I really am..." he sighed. He finished what was on his plate and headed into the lounge to find Cosmic Boy there alone and a bowl of chocolate covered strawberries on the table. The one that drove him to the couch the fastest hardly needs to be said.

"Hey Brainy, how's everything been," he asked awkwardly as the teen sat down and started to dig into the treats.

"Fine, where is everybody? Mission pop up that you didn't go to?"

"Not exactly..." he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "we, uh, we need to talk about something..."

"What is it?"

"Y-wow you ate those fast" he said, noticing that the bowl of strawberries was already empty.

"I like chocolate, and I like strawberries," Brainy shrugged nonchalantly.

"Anyway...I'm gonna cut strait to the point here. You have to go to school." Querl just look at him for a moment before things started to fly. Cosmic Boy moved the metal coffee table to shield himself from the boy's anger tantrum. "Querl, calm down, it's not my choice. Besides school isn't that bad"

"I HAVE A 12TH LEVEL INTELLIGENCE, WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO GO LISTEN TO STUFF I ALREADY SPROCKING KNOW!?"

"Hey, cool it, it's not my call anyway, besides there's a second part I was just called about."

"HOW DOES THAT MAKE IT ANY BETTER!?" Querl snapped, still throwing stuff.

"Because it makes it more mission...y..."

"Oh, this aught to be great," the teen scoffed, sitting down. He was kinda wore out from some of the heavier things he threw.

"Drax is back, on legal terms. He'll be going to school with you so you need to keep an eye on him. You both have the same schedule so that should make it easier." Querl just stared at him for a bit before getting up and walking to the door. "What are you doing?"

"Leaving"

"Querl!"

* * *

Drax arrived at the Tower the next day while Querl refused to come out in his room in protest of having to go to school and babysit the villian. Though, he was still in bed when Drax snuck in from his room across the hall to not wake Querl up. Yet. He was in a red t-shirt and black jeans rather than the uniform that bore his signature circled Z. Querl's eyes fluttered open to see the other which made him jump when he woke up.

"SPROCKING-" He threw a pillow in the other's face as his thin purple sheet slid off of his thin, bare back and landed on his jeans as he rubbed sleep out of his eyes. Drax laughed as he stood upright.

"Well that was interesting, anyway the fuzzy one said that breakfast is ready."

"You mean Brin?" he scoffed, getting up from the bed. "Also answers to "Timber Wolf"."

"Yeah, whatever. By the way, what's "breakfast"?" Querl groaned at the question. This was going to be a long "mission".

"The first of three daily meals," he said, continuing to explain as he walked down the hall and slipped on his shirt from the day before since he didn't have any other clothes. Querl stopped cold as he heard a familiar voice resonating from the kitchen. "A-Aviv..." Querl gasped with wide eyes. He wasn't ready to confront him yet! Though, Drax did manage to drag the slightly shorter blonde haired teen into the kitchen.

"Hey, Querl, just stopped by to see if you were coming back or if I needed to bring your stuff over," Aviv said cheerily, going over to hug the other.

"Y-you're not mad that-that I lied about, well, everything?" Querl was shocked. This was the last reaction he would've expected.

"Nah, what other choice did you have. Besides, I know for a while anyway," he chuckled.

"You did!? How did you find out!?"

"Your hair sticks up when you wake up sometimes," he said as he pulled back. The older poked at the boy's raised bangs as if to prove his point. Querl's cheeks darkened in an embarrassed blush as the other ruffled the golden locks and headed out, saying he'd bring Querl's stuff over in a couple of days. After breakfast Garth took Querl and Drax to the store for clothes and school supplies for the start of the year in a couple of weeks.

"I shouldn't even be going to school, I already know everything they're going to tea-"

"ENOUGH! You have been complaining all day! It's not our choice, it's the sprocking law. If all you have to say is complaints about going to school, then do us all a favor and shut up," Garth snapped. He was fresh out of patience with Brainy and sent the two off to choose out some clothes while he got what they would need for classes to get some time to cool off. They agreed to meet back at the cash registers in half an hour or so.

"Well that was awkward," Drax said to earn a glare from Querl. "Well it was. He does have a point though, you do need to just suck it up already." Querl was about to snap back at him when the other tugged on his arm and pulled him in front of him to avoid running into a clothes display.


End file.
